Homelessness continues to rise across Europe, with nearly 1.2 million people without a home. Yet one approach has proven successful in many countries: Housing First. The first projects emerged in New York in the 1990s and inspired numerous policies since.
Housing First: putting housing before everything else
Housing First means giving priority to housing. In Belgium, it aims to provide immediate access to housing for people in deep homelessness. The approach is unconditional: housing comes first, and social support follows to help people stabilise. Housing is the foundation for recovery – a space to rest, eat, reconnect socially, and start rebuilding one’s life.
A promising experiment in Belgium
In Belgium, the Housing First Belgium pilot began in 2013 across several major cities and has shown encouraging results. On average, 90% of people housed remain in their home after two years. They regain autonomy, learn to manage rent, and develop a sense of ownership. Housing First is also cost-effective: rehousing someone is often cheaper than leaving them on the street.
The major challenge: access to housing
Many associations and local governments across Belgium are now applying the Housing First model. Street Nurses has been active in Liège since 2019, helping rehouse homeless individuals. But both in Wallonia and Brussels, one obstacle remains central: access to affordable housing. Rent prices are rising, rental discrimination persists, and available housing is increasingly scarce.
Social housing: a key solution
Social housing is one of the most suitable options for rehousing homeless people, who often rely on welfare income. Yet many remain stuck on waiting lists, which undermines the work of organisations like Street Nurses.
Towards quotas for homeless people in public housing
To address this, Brussels has introduced a 6% quota of public housing to be allocated to homeless individuals by 2027. In Wallonia, social housing agencies can reserve housing for Housing First initiatives with the approval of the Walloon Housing Society – but no binding quota exists. As of 2025, only 61 units have been made available. Setting clear quotas would help ensure the continuity of care and support provided by frontline organisations.
Modular housing: an underexplored avenue
Another solution lies in modular housing – quick to build, affordable, easy to maintain, and ideal for people who need privacy or have experienced marginalisation. A project was planned in the framework of the “Zero Homelessness Territory” in Liège but failed due to lack of available land. A similar initiative in Verviers is facing the same barriers. While the Walloon regional government supports modular housing, some municipalities remain reluctant to approve such projects.
Taking concrete action to promote access to housing
The Onkelinx Law: an overlooked tool
An existing but rarely used legal lever is the “Onkelinx Law”, which has allowed municipalities to requisition vacant buildings to house people in homelessness since the 1990s. In Liège, for instance, there are an estimated 2,000 vacant units. Yet few communes make use of this tool, to the frustration of social workers and organisations fighting homelessness.
Ending homelessness is possible – if housing becomes a priority
Putting an end to homelessness is not a utopian dream. It requires bold but realistic policies that prioritise access to safe and sustainable housing, coupled with adequate social support. The tools already exist – but the political will must follow. Let’s ensure that cities and regions share the ambition: to end homelessness by 2030.